Test of the Heart
by Teneshi
Summary: Final Fantasy VII Fanfiction. It mainly revolves around Vincent, Aeris, Sephiroth, and my own original character, Mym. Rated R for violence, language, situations involving Hojo, and more. Though not too explicit.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 1  
"Bye Re- er Nanaki,"Cloud shouted as he waved at Cosmo Canyon. The people of  
the canyon town had been nice, although the dusty weather and bleakness of the  
surroundings was starting to wear on some of the party members. Aside from that they  
had to keep pressing forward on their mission. Everyone else was piling in the newly fixed  
buggy and he turned and joined them. As he was about to start it the large, feline form of  
Red XIII ran out of Cosmo Canyon and jumped in. A few of the party's members turned  
in surprise.   
  
"You're going to come with us?" Tifa asked with a hopeful glow to her large  
brown eyes, her long brown hair framing her face.   
  
"Yes,"Red answered, "Grandfather convinced me that it would be best if I went  
along to help you out."   
  
"Welcome back,"Cloud said as he started the jeep,"Next stop, Nibelheim." With  
that he hit the gas pedal and they drove off, crossing some plains and a small shallow river  
on the way. Once on the other side Nibelheim rose out of the mountain ranges to greet  
them straight ahead but to their right something also greeted their eyes.   
  
A small house that stood out in the ruins around it. The ruins seemed like they  
were built right out of the mountains and the house was the central building. It appeared  
like it had at one point been a meeting house or building for the heads of the city to  
discuss things. Slightly dilapidated the whole of the ruins wasn't even half the size of the  
observatory town of Cosmo Canyon.   
  
Cloud drove over and parked just outside, letting everyone out. He then readied  
his sword and they began looking around. Stone pillars lay in heaps, rubble everywhere on  
the ground, and the house itself was an old building that had been slightly renovated. As  
Cloud approached it he heard noises coming from inside it and got ready to attack. He  
stepped into the building and inside he saw a girl hunched over cleaning a gun. From  
behind Cloud could see that her hair was dark red with silver streaks in it almost like  
highlights.   
  
Without even turning or listening really she said,"Get out. There's nothing here for  
thieves." Suddenly she turned around and pointed a loaded gun at them uttering the phrase  
"Get Out!" again.   
  
She surveyed the party that had entered her home and gave them each a good  
visual exam. The aparent leader was wielding a sword almost the size of himself and his  
blond hair poked up like a porcupines. His eyes glowed a bright blue, having been infused  
with mako power. His outfit though was that of a first class Soldier, the highest member  
of the ShinRa army. Beside him stood a shapely young girl with long brown hair in a pony  
tail and deep brown eyes. She wore a white tank top, a brown pair of shorts and a fighting  
glove on her hands. There was also a young girl with her hair in a braid all the way down  
her back and a light pink dress on. Her eyes were warm and green and she looked young.  
At the top of her braid where there was a pink bow was a piece of white materia. Closer  
to the ground though stood, easily the oddest looking member of the group. Red XIII was  
a large beast, literally. With flame red fur he resembled a large cat crossed with a panther  
somewhat. Add to this that he was covered in tribal markings and only had one eye and  
you can see how easily he was the most.... unique looking member of the party of  
adventurers. Behind these though she could see a tall, muscular black man with a gun  
instead of a right hand. He looked onto the whole scene with watchful eyes as if expecting  
a fight.   
  
Seeing the man's outfit and recognizing the mako in his eyes she let out a wild  
shriek and shouted,"You damn soldiers again!" She cocked the shotgun and aimed it at  
him while standing slowly and grabbing another pistol, aiming it for the others who were  
standing somewhat behind the young soldier..   
  
"Damn Soldiers, Damn ShinRa, Damn Hojo..." She cursed while mentally  
remembering her training."I'm not going back to that lab with the mental patient for a  
scientist. Not again!"   
  
Aeris and Red both hearing this quietly motioned for Cloud to put his weapon  
down. Cloud made no motion to do this the girl shot right by his left foot as a warning  
shot. Aeris came forward once more and again implored Cloud to put the weapon down.  
When he and the others finally did Aeris turned and looked at the girl. A shocked look  
came into the eyes of the gunslinger and she half asked half stated,"Ifalna? Your mother  
was... Ifalna?"   
  
Aeris nodded and spoke up,"Yes... My mother was Ifalna. But you mentioned  
ShinRa. I can assure you we aren't ShinRa come to take you back. Red and I are staying  
away from ShinRa as well." As she said this Red stepped closer to the gunslinger and  
nodded his head.   
  
"I can vouch for what she says. It is all true."   
  
"You're the last remaining ancient aren't you Aeris?" Aeris was shocked that her  
name was known but simply nodded. The guns were lowered and the girl smirked.   
  
"How ironic it is that I should run into you here. And what're you doing with this  
soldier and his little friends?"   
  
"Well, we're fighting to stop ShinRa..."Aeris said her voice trailing off as the  
realization of who she was speaking to sunk in.   
  
"Wait! Are you the woman who helped my mother escape the lab?" Then she  
shook her head,"No, you couldn't be, you'd have to be her daughter or something."   
  
All the woman said in reply to this was,"You're grown up Aeris, you're not the  
little girl I remember." At this everyone took a step back, eyes wide.   
  
"How?" A few of them asked.   
  
"This is as much as I'll say.." The gunslinger said in a warning tone,"Hojo altered  
me somewhat over the time I was stuck in his lab." With that said she holstered her guns  
and threw a few other guns into a back pack along with alot of ammunition, a few apples,  
and some other bits of food. She also threw a couple pieces of clothing in as well. After  
finishing packing she went to the one wall where, mounted upon it was a long katana  
much like Sephiroth's. As she took it down she smiled slightly then resumed her marble  
exterior again, strapping it to her back. This done she turned to Cloud and simply  
stated,"I'm coming with you."   
  
Cloud was taken aback and then looked at everyone else and said,"I'm not sure  
about this..." Turning back to the gunslinger he asked,"Why do you want to come along?"   
  
"Revenge,"she replied,"To get Hojo back for all that time he tortured me.. I want  
to see him pay for his sins as I have done." Slinging the pack on her back she took a few  
steps towards them. Meanwhile Aeris and Red were encouraging Cloud to let her come  
along. Reluctantly he agreed and soon the party was on it's way again.   



	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 2  
As they approached Nibelheim Cloud and Tifa grew visably restless. Aeris was the  
same way as tons of thoughts passed through her head. She wanted to talk to the dark  
gunslinger riding in the last seat of the buggy. Cloud soon had parked the buggy though  
and motioned for them to all get out and follow him. As they entered the town Cloud and  
Tifa were taken aback. The town looked exactly like it had before Sephiroth burnt it down  
those years prior. Even the ShinRa mansion loomed over the town. The buildings all  
looked the same, even the well was there. The well had been where Cloud and Tifa had  
last seen one another. That was right before he left to go join Soldier. As they all went  
around looking throughout the town they figured out that something was up and the  
general concensus said it had to do with Shin-Ra. It was about at this point that Cloud  
noticed that the newest party member was missing.   
  
Alerting Tifa and the others he then noticed the Shin-Ra mansion door was slightly  
open, something it had not been before. Making their way into it the group found her in  
the main room walking towards a room to the left where some papers were scattered on  
the floor. Scooping them up as she went by she quickly turned and flopped down into an  
old dusty chair. Cloud and the others walked forward as she read the notes, Aeris stepping  
more forward than the rest.   
  
"What do they say?" she asked as the girl got a pained expression to her face.   
  
"I have to help him..."The girl muttered, the cold look once again on her face as  
she stood and walked past them all.   
  
"Where are you going?"Cloud asked, reaching out to grasp the girls arm as she  
went past him. Turning just her face to him her eyes flashed a glowing violet as she ripped  
her arm free of his grasp easily.   
  
"I have to go help him,"was all she replied as she stalked off up the stairs. The  
whole group with the exceptions of Aeris and Red XIII were taken aback at her harshness.  
Aeris and Red though followed her up the stairs and to the left entering the first room to  
the right. The room was filled with shelves, some still housing old books, and a large  
heavy safe. It was infront of this safe that the gunslinger was crouched looking at the dial.   
  
"A timer.... hmm..."she muttered as she looked at a piece of paper she still held.  
She read the paper a few more times before setting it down and focusing on the task of  
opening the safe.   
  
"Do you think she'll make it?" Aeris asked Red as they watched intently, Cloud  
and the others coming up behind them to see just what the girl was up to.   
  
"I'm not sure,"Red replied as he looked to Aeris for a second then back to the  
girl,"Odds are against it though." As he said this however they heard a cheerful ding and  
the safe's lock retracted into the door. Swinging it open slightly two things were visible on  
the bottom of the safe as well as something else towards the back. The gunslinger reached  
in and retrieved an Odin materia and a small silver key. It was then that the third thing  
came forward.   
  
A large monster erupted from the safe and almost everyone was taken by surprise.  
The thing towered over them, half of it a dark purple the other brilliant red. Three  
tentacles erupted from each side of it and waved around furiously crashing into the walls  
and the safe. Quickly drawing her gun she attacked, shooting the monster a few times as  
Red ran up and attacked as well. Aeris on the other hand, seeing the danger, began casting  
various protection spells. The gunslinger while reloading shoved the Odin materia into an  
armband and cast it. As the whole group disappeared Odin soon took their place erupting  
from the wall on his great steed. He swung his sword and the monster was slashed into  
two pieces bringing it close enough to death for the team to finish. As they reappeared  
after Odin's disappearance they pounded the thing with more physical attacks and a few  
more powerful bolt spells. The monster was soon reduced to a large pile of slimy monster  
guts and the whole team checked itself over for injuries.   
  
Once it was destroyed the gunslinger holstered her weapon and then brushed past  
them all towards the other bedrooms on the second floor. Entering the one to her left she  
immediately went to the brick wall and began searching it thoroughly. Aeris and Red, both  
extremely curious by this point moreso than the others followed close at her heels. A few  
moments after she began examining the wall she found what she was looking for and  
pressed the small hidden button. The wall slid away with a dull thud and the spiral  
stairway to the basement was revealed, without hesitation the girl descended.   



	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 3  
Quickly reaching the bottom she went off towards the first door she saw and  
pulled the small silver key out.   
  
"What're you looking for in there?"Aeris asked as she came up behind the other  
girl.   
  
"He's in there..... He needs my help,"she answered,"I finally found out where that  
bastard put him."   
  
"Who's in there and who put him there?"Aeris asked as the girl turned the key and  
opened the door. Turning to look at Aeris the girl replied,"Hojo put him in here... and  
you'll see soon enough."   
  
As she turned and entered the room Aeris thought,"She sure is full of secrets... She  
still hasn't even told us her name. But I'll get her to talk to me... I'll be her friend."   
  
Inside the room there was 5 coffins, 4 opened with bones hanging out and  
covering the floor. The fifth coffin was in the center and unopened. That was where the  
girl went immediately and knelt beside it. Aeris moved closer as the girl put her hands on  
the edge to open it. Red moved closer as well, Cloud getting ready to draw his weapon  
incase attacked and the others stood their ground.   
  
As the girl prepared to push the lid away she whispered to herself,"Oh Vincent....  
I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you... I'm so sorry I wasn't able to stop him and save you  
and Lucrecia...and the child....But I'll make it right."   
  
On hearing this Aeris vowed to find out what the girl's secrets were. Then the lid  
was pushed off to reveal a man laying in the coffin. Shrouds of crimson surrounded his  
form which was clothed in black and in the place of his left hand was a gold, metal claw.  
The girl stood quickly and stepped back in almost shock.   
  
"What did he do to you..."she whispered as the man's eyes opened and he flipped  
up out of the coffin and stood before them all. Surveying them all with crimson eyes that  
matched the shrouds he finally saw the girl. Immediately a look of recognization flashed  
onto his face as well as what seemed shock. It was then that the marble face replaced itself  
on him and her as well. They eyed each other up and down with the emotions Aeris  
couldn't quite place.   
  
At last the silence was broken as the man spoke,"I thought you were dead. That's  
what the president told us all."   
  
"I wasn't dead.... I was turned into a science experiment for Hojo. And it was at  
the president's order,"she replied. "After I managed to escape I began searching for you. I  
knew you were still alive... Hojo bragged about what he'd done to you to me...He knew  
you were the closest friend I had back then and knew I'd be upset at anything he did to  
you. He wanted more than anything to torment me all he could."   
  
"We can talk all about this later..."She continued until Cloud broke in.   
  
"Just what the hell's going on here and who is he? To be quite honest we still  
don't even know your name." Both of them turned to look at him.   
  
"Mym Teneshi,"she replied,"Formerly leader of the Turks."   
  
"Vincent Valentine," he answered,"Also formerly of the Turks."   
  
"Well that's good for starts,"Cloud said,"Now if you'll excuse me I have a meeting  
with Sephiroth in the library to settle things." Vincent's head jerked at the mention of  
Sephiroth as did Mym's. Vincent however went back toward the coffin simply saying,"I  
have much still to atone for... Let me sleep."   
  
When Mym saw this though she walked over to him and with no hesitation put a  
hand on his shoulder.   
  
"Valentine,"she said and then paused,"Vincent....Sleeping in a coffin isn't going to  
help atone for sins you think you've done.. If it's atonement you're worried about then  
you should come help fight with Cloud. He's fighting against ShinRa..." Vincent had  
turned to look at her with cold eyes as soon as he felt her hand on his shoulder but he  
finally nodded his head in agreement and followed them out and towards the library.   



	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 4  
Entering it Cloud could sense Sephiroth close by and it was then that Vincent and  
Mym came forward from the back of the group and spoke up.   
  
"Let us try talking to him,"Vincent said and Mym nodded in agreement.   
  
Cloud was enraged though,"WHY?" He burst out,"He's nothing but a murderer!  
It HAS to end now!"   
  
"Cloud,"Mym spoke up,"He's not Jenova's son like you said he thinks he is. I  
knew his mother, his real mother, so did Vincent."   
  
"Let us try this,"Vincent pressed again. At this point Tifa looked like she was  
ready to start protesting as well when Red and Aeris began trying to talk sense into them  
while Vincent and Mym went to talk to Sephiroth.   
  
Walking deeper into the library they could feel the presence of Jenova and  
Sephiroth and soon they saw him. Sitting in the leather chair behind the old desk flipping  
through a book carelessly.   
  
"Where is the puppet?" he asked without looking up.   
  
"Sephiroth,"Mym began,"We'd like to talk to you.."   
  
"Yes,"Vincent said,"We'd like to tell you the truth." At this he looked up and  
threw the book aside.   
  
"The truth,"he querried as he picked up the large sword lying on the desk.  
Looking over it as if he really didn't care what they said. By just his motions and tone  
though the two knew he wasn't going to really listen and would probably attack them so  
they prepared as best they could without seeming offensive incase they were wrong.   
  
"Yes,"Vincent continued,"The truth about who your mother is."   
  
"My mother is Jenova,"Sephiroth declared as he took a swing at them,"And now  
you will die to please her!"   
  
Quickly pushing Vincent out of the way and drawing her own sword, very similar  
to the Masamune she began fighting back to protect them both. At this point Cloud and  
the others rushed in to see them locked in fierce combat. Sephiroth however quickly  
dodged and flew back. He then addressed Cloud as he threw a piece of materia at him.   
  
"Puppet! I will be heading to the reunion soon. You are required to attend as well.  
And as for you two 'truthsayers' I will deal with you later!" As he finished he flew off up  
and over their heads, out the door.   
  
Later when the party was at the inn in Nibelheim Cloud stood amongst most of the  
others as he slammed his fist off of the wall.   
  
"Damn,"Cloud growled,"We almost had him."   
  
Vincent and Mym both looked up from their positions, Vincent's the corner,  
Mym's her bed. Vincent soon however looked away and began fiddiling around with his  
claw, making sure it was working well. Mym noticed this, let her head fall and then  
walked out of the room. She stood on the balcony as night fell and the rest of the team  
went to sleep, including Vincent. As she stood out there looking at the full moon she  
began thinking of things in the past. How she first met with Vincent when he was a new  
Turk and how he quickly climbed in status amongst them. They together had been the  
deadliest Turks on the force. Swift and efficient, taking orders and completing them with  
ruthless efficiency. It was then that she began recalling her last days of being a Turk. That  
blasted mission.... The night Hojo became the only thing she secretly feared, and the  
president who'd betrayed her. And how it all started... The nightmare started with a simple  
needle filled with some liquid...something that sealed her fate.   



	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 5  
*******************Nibelheim 30 years prior********************   
  
  
It was supposed to be a simple mission, protect the scientists as they checked on  
the mako reactor. Professors Ghast and Hojo had to check the mako readings so she and  
Vincent had been ordered to accompany them. Standing guard outside the inner chamber  
they waited for them to enter the reactor and take their readings.   
  
Both had their blue suits neat and they looked just as professional as they were.  
Vincent had short hair back then, not down to his shoulderblades as it was now, but  
merely to the nape of his neck. It was black and very silky and it always seemed to shine in  
the right lighting. His eyes were an interesting shade of gray and he always had a  
professional appearance up. He never let his emotions show, well unless he was at the bar  
with the other Turks drinking. But even then he was still very reserved about his emotions.  
Mym's blue suit though had a silver pin on the lapel of it showing that she was the leader  
of the Turks. Her dark red hair was pulled back slightly so that it didn't get into her eyes.  
In the eerie green glow of the mako reactor her silver highlights seemed to shimmer.   
  
Both of them looked on, arms crossed as the two professors entered and walked  
into the reactor core. Professor Ghast was an older man, his hair starting to gray and  
recede from his forehead as was natural with old age. His beard and moustache were  
going gray as well as they framed his mouth which was usually upturned into a small  
smile. His eyes were a deep green and there were small wrinkles starting to form there as  
well. Ghast was a friendly man who was usually very nice to the Turks and those who  
worked under him.   
  
Professor Hojo on the other hand was a young man although his posture didn't  
really show it. He usually walked with a hunched over position, his hands clasped tightly  
behind his back as if was always in deep thought. Of course sometimes he did walk like a  
normal human being but that was rare, only around some of the higher ups of the  
company, such as President ShinRa. He had glasses perched upon his small pointed nose  
and his eyes were a deep brown color so dark they almost looked black. His hair was  
black infact and it hung in tendrils almost down to his mid back. He was a short man as  
well yet he seemed to act, at least with those under him in position, as though he were a  
large man able to back up his orders and commands which were always sharp and to the  
point. Granted he didn't beat about the bush about things but most of the time he was just  
plain rude and should you cross him you would definitely hear about it from him. As the  
two Turks waited for the professors to return a slight scuffling was heard on the upper  
supports. Both Turks heard it and quickly pulled their guns, aiming at the beams.  
Following the barrel of the gun Mym saw nothing up there until the barrel of a gun with a  
silencer on the end of it appeared aimed for Vincent. The shooter was well concealed and  
she couldn't get a shot in. Before she could warn him though the soft 'twip' of the gun  
being fired reached Mym's ears and she quickly threw herself into Vincent. As she  
knocked him sideways to safety the bullet entered in her left corner of her chest, just  
below the shoulder but above the breast. With a short cry of agony, which drew the  
professors out, she landed heavilly on her side. Vincent by this point was trying to see the  
shooter as well as find a way up into the support beams but before he could he heard  
running feet. He chased after them but whoever it was managed to escape. It was then that  
he returned to Mym and the professors to find her unconscious and Hojo standing there.   
  
"Where's Professor Ghast?"Vincent inquired.   
  
Hojo looked up and replied,"He went to get the pilots to help carry her to the  
helicopter."   
  
Vincent nodded and knelt beside her, holstering his gun and picking up hers on the  
way down. He carefully placed hers back in it's holster and then began to check to see if  
she was still breathing.   
  
"She's still alive,"Hojo interjected as he picked up her wrist,"She just passed out."   
  
Vincent looked up at the gangly scientist and then resumed his check. He didn't  
trust that man, there was something about Hojo that he didn't quite like.   
  
"She's taken bullets before in more critical places and never passed out this  
quickly,"Vincent thought to himself.   
  
"I said she's fine for now,"Hojo interjected again a slight menacing tone to his  
voice.   
  
As Vincent looked up and was about to reply Ghast and the pilot ran in with a  
stretcher. They quickly loaded her body onto it and hurried off to the helicopter, Hojo  
bringing up the rear. No one else saw his almost gleeful smirk as they exited and flew back  
to Midgar. Once there they rushed her to a hospital where Hojo insisted he be allowed to  
be her doctor.   
  
"I feel bad that she was shot on my account,"Hojo explained to Professor Ghast  
and the hospital staff,"Allow me to be her doctor. It's the only way I can make myself feel  
better."   
  
Reluctantly the hospital agreed and Ghast went along with it as well. Vincent sat  
by her bedside after they got her checked into a room. She had already had the surgery to  
remove the bullet and repair the muscles. As he was sitting there the door opened and he  
looked up, in walked the other two Turks. They all exchanged glances and then Vincent  
spoke up.   
  
"They say she'll be out soon,"he said, his eyes on her again,"But there's something  
else."   
  
"What is it?" The other two asked almost simultaneously.   
  
"She was unconscious almost immediately after she took the bullet, there wasn't  
that much bleeding and if you remember right she's been hit in more critical places and  
lost more blood than this and still it took her a while before she passed out,"Vincent  
explained.   
  
"So you suspect foul play?"the tall red headed man asked.   
  
"Yeah Vega,"Vincent answered.   
  
"But there could be any number of people who could want her, and the rest of us  
possibly, dead,"Andy said as he took a seat by the other side of the bed,"How'll we figure  
out who set this up?"   
  
"I don't know,"Vincent said,"But since she's in here right now that makes me the  
one in charge for now."   
  
"Right,"Vega said,"And I do hope your first orders will be to find out who shot  
her and why."   
  
"After all,"he continued,"She's our leader and she's the best leader I ever served  
under."   
  
"Right,"Andy agreed, pushing his blonde bangs out of his eyes.   
  
"I think we should look into talking to Professor Hojo,"Vincent suggested,"Since  
he was there when she 'passed out' he might remember if she said anything."   
  
"She didn't,"a sharp voice cut through their thoughts. They all turned and there  
stood Professor Hojo in all of his malevolent glory.   
  
"Visiting hours are over,"he sharply ordered,"Get out!" As they all stood up he  
continued his tirade.   
  
"You're disturbing her sleep. She needs her rest.. Get out!"   
  
He pointed to the still open door and reluctantly the three Turks left. Vega  
grumbled on his way out which earned him a sharp look from Hojo. Once the three of  
them were gone and Hojo was sure no one else was around he closed and locked the door.  
Walking over to her bed he took out a syringe and took her left arm in his free hand. He  
planned to give her more tranquilizers to keep her knocked out longer. He had planned it  
that she should be waking up about now and as he watched her still form her eyes did  
begin to flutter. Slowly opening her eyes, still very groggy, the first thing she saw was  
Hojo above her with another one of those needles.   
  
"Oh.. no.. get away from me..."she uttered as she began to try and squirm away  
from him. She thought about it and had decided that she was still too groggy to try any of  
her fighting moves to knock him or the syringe away from her. Before she could get any  
farther he gripped her arm tightly and thrust the needle into it quickly pressing the plunger.  
She began to feel tired again almost immediately. That was the beginning of her  
nightmare.   



	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 6  
******************************Present Time*******************************   
  
The rest was a blur except memories of the lab and of those horrid tests. Thirty  
years there, and the worst torture was when he bragged about what he'd done to Vincent,  
and with the Jenova project. It was then that she felt another presence on the balcony. She  
heard the timid footsteps and instantly knew their owner.   
  
"Hello Aeris," she said without even looking.   
  
"Wow,"Aeris said,"You knew it was me."   
  
"You tread lightly,"Mym replied,"It wasn't that hard, plus your perfume gave it  
away."   
  
"Oh,"Aeris said as she walked up beside Mym and looked out at the night sky, her  
now loose hair flowing down her back.   
  
"So,"Mym began,"What do you want to talk about?"   
  
"Or were you just having trouble sleeping and decided to come out here,"Mym  
continued,"I think you want to talk."   
  
"You're right,"Aeris said,looking at Mym,"About you and Vincent."   
  
"What about us?"Mym asked, not looking back at the younger woman.   
  
"You two knew each other before..." Aeris said,"And I'll be honest, I heard what  
you said before you opened the coffin."   
  
"I know you did,"Mym said,blinking and once again looking at the moon.   
  
"But,"Aeris started,"What's the story with you two?"   
  
"It would give you nightmares,"Mym replied simply, turning her back to the rail  
and leaning against it.   
  
Aeris stepped closer to her,"But I want to hear this,I can handle it. I am grown  
up." The girl looked at her, her eyes glowing violet and her arms folded across her chest.   
  
"Fine, but don't blame me when you can't sleep."   
  
"I can handle it,"Aeris pressed, slightly unnerved by her eyes glowing that eerie  
shade of purple.   
  
"I hope you can,"Mym said as she sat down and prepared to tell her story,"I hope  
you can."   



	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 7  
Aeris sat down beside her and watched Mym as the girl obviously tried to figure  
out where to begin.   
  
"Do you know what the Turks do?"Mym asked her,"That's the first thing that we  
need to talk about."   
  
"I have an idea,"Aeris said.   
  
"To put it simply,"Mym replied with a slight sigh,"We were kidnappers, snipers,  
murderers, etc. Anything the President wanted done that was even the slightest bit dirty  
and or illegal came to us to do."   
  
"And we did it,"she finished. She surpressed a chuckle as she joked,"I'm surprised  
sometimes that he didn't even have us wiping his ass for him. We basically did all his dirty  
work."   
  
Aeris grinned a little at the light joke and then asked,"So you did all that for the  
president. What do you mean when you said that the President ordered you to be in the  
lab?"   
  
"Ah... that,"Mym said, looking at her hands and then back at Aeris.   
  
"Well, I suppose it was because I had knew a bit too much about a few things and  
well, when I mentioned my opinion on how it should be handled to the President. Merely  
as a suggestion mind you, well.. That was it."   
  
"What was it that you overheard?" Aeris asked, looking at her with curiosity.   
  
"Rufus isn't the president's real son,"Mym explained,"I found out when I was  
standing guard for the President on one of the dirtier jobs, one he even went to in person."   
  
She sighed and continued,"There were people opposing the ShinRa at the time  
before he was President and the Turks were just a small faction of body guards at the time.  
We weren't the feared killers or anything yet. Anyway, ShinRa's wife had just died and for  
the record he didn't even care too much about that. He was more concerned with the  
other energy companies and ways of energy. Such as coal that was mined in North Corel.  
But he dared not do anything himself against them in a physical means so he tried to get  
them to go out of business or to just simply buy them out. He had enough money to do  
that easily. Mako power was the future of the energy field he said and lots of people  
believed him."   
  
She paused and Aeris urged,"What then?"   
  
"As I was saying before I digressed somewhat, ShinRa's wife had just died and  
along with her, the only child that ShinRa had. He was angered at this and new he had to  
find another child to succeed him and be as cold and corrupt as he was. That's where the  
people opposing him came in. He decided that if he was going to get another child he'd  
just take one from his enemies and raise it how he thought a kid should be raised. So he  
sent us out to find out about these other business owners and we finally came across one  
with a new born child. Well at the time we didn't know what his plans were or I probably  
would have spoken up another alternative sooner. But I went along with it, I regret it now  
but... I can't change it. It's a part of my past and it's something I have to deal with  
everyday. So he got us to get the address of the people. He said he wanted to have a  
business meeting with them which suggested he was about to buy them out or something.  
Well he went into the house with me and another Turk, this was before Vincent was a  
Turk. We left a third Turk with the helicopter. Don't ask me for their names, I can't  
remember,"she explained as she shifted her weight and looked at her hands once again as  
if to see the sins written on them that she still needed to atone for. This being one of them  
in her mind.   
  
"As we walked in we saw the man's wife sitting in a chair holding a baby, the man  
himself was sitting at his desk. As soon as he saw ShinRa he stood up and demanded to  
know what he wanted and why we all were intruding into his house. ShinRa smirked and  
said that he wanted to make a deal with him. ShinRa pulled a contract out of his coat, a  
big thick one and tossed it onto the desk. Meanwhile we had gone to stand at either side  
of the door, waiting for furthur orders. The poor business owner just looked at the  
contract and asked what it was for. ShinRa said that he wanted to buy the man's business.  
Flustered the man ran his hands through his brown hair and said that it was no deal.  
ShinRa offered a lot of money to the man and they finally agreed. However there was  
apparently an extra clause in the contract that the man didn't read. When ShinRa smiled  
and took the contract back he tucked it into his coat and said that it was good doing  
business with him. He walked over to the woman and looked at the baby as if sizing it up  
and at this point the man pulled a gun out of the desk. To protect ShinRa I shot the man in  
the hand and when he proceeded to pick the gun up in his other hand and went to shoot it  
I shot him through the head. Of course his hand clenched as the bullet hit his forehead and  
entered so he ended up shooting his wife in the shoulder. The whole time the baby was  
crying, shrieking almost as it's mother's blood spilled down onto it's blanket. ShinRa  
ordered us outside to get the helicopter ready and as we left we heard him talking to the  
woman. When he emerged a few minutes later and got into the helicopter he had the baby  
with him and simply explained that he had traded the woman her life for her kid. It's a  
shame really,"Mym continued,"Anyways, months later after we'd seen how he began  
'raising' the kid, after he was President, and after I was appointed leader of the Turks  
formally though I'd always held the position from when I'd managed to kill the previous  
leader before I joined the ranks. That in itself earned me the position, ShinRa hadn't seen  
anyone who could outdo one of his Turks especially not the leader. Anyways well, it was  
beginning to bother me a bit. I mean back then I was a cold killer, much the same as I'm  
sure the Turks are now. The position hasn't changed much, but anyways, I digressed  
again. Sorry."   
  
"It's ok,"Aeris said, stretching her legs a little,"Please.. continue."   
  
Mym moved her legs and crossed them, sitting indian style now.   
  
"It wasn't until a few weeks before the last mission I went on that I asked to speak  
with the President. He agreed and I expressed that maybe the situtation could have been  
handled a little different although I did agree that when the man tried to shoot him that  
was acceptable behavior for me to shoot him and protect the President. So the President  
asked what I thought could have been different and I said that maybe he could have went  
to an orphanage and adopted a child instead of what happened. He laughed and asked if I  
was finally getting a heart and said I should watch my mouth if I wanted to keep my  
position. He said to just take orders and follow them. I excused myself and went home for  
the night since it was the end of the day. On my way out though I saw the young someday  
to be Vice President Rufus. Still a baby, being carried into a limo headed for his home.  
ShinRa didn't even have the kid living with him. He raised him to be as cold and heartless  
as he was. Perhaps even moreso..." She paused, taking a deep breath and looking at Aeris  
then she looked back down at her hands again. She clenched them slightly and looked  
away as if the sins were written there and she didn't want to see them anymore.   
  
"I now regret some of the things I did then. Some of them mind you,"she  
continued once again staring at Aeris, her eyes taking on a light purple glow to them in the  
moonlight,"Remember, I was and in some ways still am a cold blooded killer and back  
then that was what I did for a living. I ended lives without even giving it a second  
thought."   
  
Aeris shuddered slightly, eyes closing, thinking of the implications of what Mym  
was saying. She hadn't really realized that it had gotten so cold and instead of stopping  
her shuddering it just kept going on without her noticing it. It was then that she felt a  
warm piece of clothing wrap around her. It turned out to be Mym's dress shirt. It was nice  
and warm but when Aeris went to return it since Mym now sat in black shorts and a black  
tank top Mym waved it off.   
  
"But... aren't you cold?" Aeris asked her, trying again to return the shirt.   
  
"No, ever since my time in the lab I haven't been effected by the cold as much,"she  
explained, as she looked up to the night sky again,"Sometimes I almost miss being normal.  
Sometimes...." Her voice trailed off as a slight sigh escaped her lips.   
  
"Well, I guess it's time to explain the rest,"she said fixing her eyes on Aeris again  
as the younger girl wrapped herself up in the white dress shirt,"But to give you an answer  
to your previous question earlier about Vincent and myself. Before I go furthur that is. I'm  
in love with him Aeris. I've been in love with him for a long time, almost 32 years. But he  
loves Lucrecia and there's no way I'm going to push myself on him so.. I'll be content to  
be his friend and teammate and if it comes to it... Save his life by giving my own."   



	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 8  
As Vincent lay awake inside the men's room he lay there thinking about things.  
He'd been told that Mym was dead, but then again the President had probably said he'd  
died too after what had happened with Hojo and being locked in that coffin. He opened his  
eyes as he perked up a bit, his hearing picking up voices. Hearing the voices barely above  
Barret's snoring he tried to discern whose they were but he could only tell they were  
female. They were higher pitched, not the deep voices of the males of the party. Also all  
the men were accounted for in the room. Silently sitting up and pulling on his boots by the  
bedside he looked towards the others, not wanting to wake them. After getting his gun he  
quietly crept from his bed to the doorway and carefully opened the creaking door, slipped  
out and closed it. It was then that he realized he hadn't even put a bandana in his hair to  
hold it back and his cape was still folded on the chair at the bottom of his bed.   
  
"Oh well,"he thought to himself as he shrugged slightly,"It doesn't matter, I have  
my gun. That's all I need."   
  
Walking slowly and carefully along the narrow, dim hallway he edged closer to the  
voices. Gun up and ready for a fight if he should encounter one he came along until he was  
almost outside the girl's room and the balcony door. The voices were coming from the  
balcony he realized. Peering out from one of the windows where he could see the balcony  
where he spotted Mym and Aeris sitting out there talking.   
  
"Now what're they talking about,"he wondered then had an afterthought,"I really  
shouldn't spy on them. It is none of my business nor my concern what they discuss."   
  
As he was walking away though, Vincent heard a few things that sparked his  
attention. Mentions of Mym's time in the lab and other things like that.   
  
"Apparently Aeris asked her about her past,"Vincent thought to himself, reasoning  
it in his mind that yes, he'd like to hear this. To find out what that bastard Hojo had done  
to her. Moving back closer to the door he holstered his gun and eased himself down onto  
the ground, being careful not to make any noise.   



	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 9  
"Well, I was on a trip escorting Professor Hojo and Professor Ghast to the one  
mako reactor so they could take readings. Vincent had been chosen, by the President of  
course, to go with me because we were the two best Turks. The President actually had us  
doing most of his dirty work. We were the most ruthless and efficent Turks he had.  
Anyways, we escorted the scientists there with no problems and everything was going fine  
until we heard a scuffling sound on the catwalks up in the rafters and supports. Drawing  
our guns we looked for who or what had made the noise and shortly thereafter I saw a  
gun with a silencer slip into view, the shooter still well hidden, and aim for Vincent.  
Before I could warn him though I heard it be fired and from the distance it was away I had  
enough time to throw myself at him and take the bullet for him. As he went off to find the  
killer I lay there trying to ignore the pain to get up and go after him too. Next thing I  
knew though Professor Ghast had run out and went to get the pilot while Hojo stayed by  
me. It was then that he slipped a needle out of his pocket and injected me with  
tranquilizers. I fell unconscious almost immediately and the last thing I saw was his  
smirking face. That was the cause of many nightmares later on by the way,"Mym  
explained with a sort of slight irritation in her voice as she spoke of Hojo.   
  
"That's horrible,"Aeris said, a hand going to her mouth, the other holding the shirt  
around herself,"So the President arranged it all with Hojo before hand?"   
  
"Yes,"Mym answered,"And Professor Ghast knew nothing of it's being setup or  
my 30 year long imprisonment in the lab afterwards."   
  
"All Ghast knew was that I had died in the hospital and that ShinRa had arranged  
my funeral. It was an empty casket, though, they kept the lid closed to hide the fact that I  
wasn't in it,"she explained,"I heard from Hojo that it was a rather nice funeral. He also  
happened to mention to that comment that it also meant that I was dead and anything that  
happened to me didn't count because I didn't matter as a living person anymore. I hate  
him for that, and for much much more."   
  
"What all happened while you were in the lab?"Aeris inquired, looking at Mym  
while she played with her shoelace.   
  
"Well, 30 years of tests, experiments, more needles being injected into me than I  
can count or remember. Mind you, I was asleep some of the time he did experiments so  
even I'm not sure of what all he did but one thing's definitely true. It was a nightmare and  
I'd never want to go through it again."   
  
"Well, unless it allowed one of you guys freedom from Hojo for good,"she  
whispered this and Aeris barely heard it. Vincent didn't miss it though, his hearing had  
been enhanced from Hojo's experimentations on him, as had his vision and other senses.   
  
"You shouldn't sacrifice yourself for our well being,"Aeris said quietly,"After all  
you've been through."   
  
"After all I've been through,"Mym started,"I can handle it better than any of you."   
  
"Not to sound mean when I say this but, even Vincent only had a shortened period  
of exposure to Hojo's madness,"she explained,"I had 30 years of it to deal with, 30 years  
of him messing around with my body, altering things here and there, giving me powers I  
didn't want, experimenting his cold black heart away."   
  
She looked down at her hands and clenched them as she whispered,"30 years of  
him making me less and less what I used to be.... More of an avenging angel of sorts  
now..."   
  
"Avenging angel?"Aeris questioned quietly,"Why do you say that?"   
  
"I hope you and the others never find out,"Mym explained,"Let's just say it's  
another one of the parting gifts Hojo gave me..."   
  
"At least tell me what it is,"Aeris pressed, trying to figure it out.   
  
Mym sighed and simply nodded.   
  
"Allright,"she said,"I'll explain. When I get injured extremely badly or get pushed  
till I'm past my limit with anger I undergo a change of sorts..."   
  
She looked down then continued,"My strength, power, speed, all of that is  
doubled at least and I change forms as well. Hojo altered it so that when I change I  
become what he said the President said I always was in life. Either an avenging angel or a  
cold blooded killer. As it stands right now I have 4 transformations...hopefully Hojo won't  
find a way to give me anymore. I don't want them."   
  
Aeris shuddered a bit thinking about that, she changed forms when provoked to  
much, that was so cruel of a thing for Hojo to do. But Aeris herself knew that that was  
what Hojo was good at, being cruel.   
  
"Hojo told me one more thing,"Mym whispered,"He did the same thing to  
Vincent..."   
  
"What?"Aeris gasped, Vincent's eyes going wide as he listened in from around the  
corner. Could that explain the strangeness he felt in his body, the strange tingling in his  
mind to go hunt something.   
  
"Yes,"Mym spoke up a little,"He told me that he'd given Vincent transformations  
as well... and that they'd be with him forever, as are mine. Of course Hojo also added that  
was if he lived through his time spent locked in a coffin. It enraged me so... I just wanted  
to rip him apart..."   
  
Mym clenched her fist as she said this, her voice cracking as she vehemently  
whispered the last phrase,"I wanted to make him hurt for all he did to Vincent, Sephiroth,  
Lucrecia.., Ifalna, all of them!"   
  
She looked up at Aeris, her violet eyes glowing brightly in the dark night.   
  
"I wanted to see his blood stain that damned lab coat of his. His blood, not mine or  
Vincent's or Lucrecia's or Ifalna's or anyone else who was undeserving of the punishment  
he dealt out to those he saw as sinners and demons and the like. His blood...."   
  
As she finished she quieted down and looked down at her clenched hands again.   
  
"That's... what he deserves,"Aeris stated quietly, as she looked down at her hands  
in her lap as if deep in examination of them,"But... then we'd be no better than he is."   
  
She looked up at Mym again and noticed the glow in Mym's eyes had dimmed a  
bit but was still burning there.   
  
"I already am no better than he is,"Mym whispered as she stood,"I'm going to  
avenge those he hurt. Not for myself or my own mission to destroy him, but for them. And  
also to protect you and keep you forever from his clutches. I swear it."   
  
This said she turned and prepared to walk back into the inn but Aeris stood and  
reached a hand out as she called,"Wait!"   
  
Mym turned and looked at her with a questioning look, her eyes having the same  
odd glow to them.   
  
"You aren't leaving to go after him are you?" Aeris inquired, one hand still holding  
the shirt around herself.   
  
"No, I was going to go get my sword and go relax on my own for a bit. It helps  
me think and that's what I need to do now."   
  
"Oh.. Allright..."Aeris replied a little uncertainty in her voice,"Just please don't  
leave to go fight Hojo yet..."   
  
Mym turned her head away and walked to the door, as she stood in it she turned  
back to Aeris.   
  
"Not yet.. But soon he will pay for his crimes."   
  
She then turned and disappeared into the darkness of the inn. She didn't see  
Vincent though because he had already gone back to his room to think things over, things  
were more confusing now than ever for him and his anger at Hojo was rising steadily.  
After sitting in the room for a few moments he had fled the hotel to go think and as Mym  
walked out of the inn with her sword in hand, headed for the orchards on the other side of  
the well she spotted Vincent sitting on the roof of the ShinRa mansion. Lightning flashed  
in the distance and Mym continued to look at Vincent as the lightning illuminated his dark  
form, cape billowing behind him. As she watched him after a few moments he turned and  
gazed down at her, they nodded to each other, he turned his head back to look away again  
and she went off to the orchard. Mym began practicing with her sword as she thought  
about implications of things, while Vincent sat and watched the mountains and the reactor  
in the distance as though he saw the phantoms that were supposed to haunt it. Each had  
gone their own ways, needing time alone to think about the many things that had been  
brought to light.   



	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
  
Part 10  
Vincent   
  
  
Sitting on top of the old ShinRa mansion he saw Mym leave the inn and head off  
towards the orchard. Turning his head back to look at the mountains in the distance, he  
sighed. The lightning was illuminating the reactor and he knew that they'd be heading up  
there during the day. Vincent just sat there and thought about the things that he'd heard.   
  
"So, Hojo added transformations to my body..."he murmered quietly,"I wonder..."   
  
Giving another deep sigh he jumped down from the roof and went back into the  
old mansion. Encountering a few bats as he went down to the old basement he quickly  
dispatched them. As Vincent passed by the door to the crypt he shook his head as a few  
images of the last night he remembered flashed into his head.   
  
Lucrecia cuddling up with him in the large rocking chair upstairs...   
  
Her begging him not to go after Hojo when Vincent had found out that the  
experiment was making her vomit blood...   
  
His last promise to her that he'd come back and they'd leave, go somewhere safe...  
together.   
  
Entering the library he began to search the shelves for what he thought would be  
there. Finding it and sitting in the large leather chair in the back he flipped through a copy  
of Hojo's journal.   
  
They assigned three Turks to this mission, one of them being Valentine. Lucrecia's  
mind will not be on the experiment now. Blasted Turk, meddling in my affairs by taking up  
Lucrecia's time. . . he's obviously infatuated with her. Bah.. Human emotions are such a  
waste of energy and thought.   
  
He shuddered as he read the first few sentances where Hojo described the night he  
ran into Vincent first when they met in the President's office.   
  
*****************************Flashback**********************************   
"Ahhh Vincent," President ShinRa said as he relaxed in the large plush chair  
behind his desk,a ring of smoke coming from his chubby mouth,"Please. Have a seat."   
  
"You wanted to speak with me sir, about a mission,"Vincent said as he took a  
seat, smoothing his dark blue suit. Out of the corner of his eye noticing that the other  
three occupants of the room that he'd noticed on entry consisted of two men and one  
woman. The woman he knew was Lucrecia, Ghast's new assistant. She had long brown  
hair pulled back in a pony tail and small glasses perched on the end of her dainty nose, her  
eyes were a dark brown and she wore an aqua dress underneath her lab coat, a pencil held  
carefully behind her ear. Ghast himself was there in the seat nearest Vincent and at the  
very end sat Professor Hojo. Focusing his eyes back on President ShinRa Vincent listened  
to what the man had to say.   
  
"Since you're the leader of the Turks I thought it best to assign you to this mission  
as well as the other two Turks you've been working with the longest. Vega and Andy has  
fully recovered from that attack two weeks ago so he'll be going along as well.   
  
"You will be assigned to protect these three scientists, Professors Ghast and Hojo  
and their assistant Lucrecia, to Nibelheim while they conduct some... business for me. I  
expect nothing to go wrong on this mission and that if the scientists need help or supplies  
you will be cooperative,"ShinRa explained.   
  
"Yes sir,"Vincent replied calmly with no emotion in his voice,"I'll inform Vega and  
Andy once we're through here sir."   
  
ShinRa guffawed loudly, blowing another few smoke rings into the air,"Good.."   
  
He turned his back to the four of them and simply said,"You can go now."   
  
The three scientists stood and walked out of the room, Lucrecia going last. As  
Vincent exited the room he found her lingering in the hallway just outside, waiting for him  
with a warm, welcoming smile on her face.   
  
"So we're going to Nibelheim together,"she said as she played with the lapels of  
his coat,"Closest we've ever been to your hometown."   
  
"Someday we can go to Wutai together,"he said a small smile on his face which  
quickly disappeared as a shout came down the hall.   
  
"LUCRECIA," Hojo screamed his head peering around the corner and spotting  
her,"You're needed in the lab immediately."   
  
"Coming,"she responded and hurried off giving a small wave to Vincent as she  
jogged down the hall. Hojo merely snorted in response, his head disappearing back around  
the corner from which it came. As Lucrecia disappeared after Hojo down that hall Vincent  
sighed and walked to the elevators, going down first to the Turk's floor, gathering Vega  
and Andy, then to the main entrance. After checking out for the day he went home and the  
three Turks sat around Vincent's living room talking.   
  
Conversing about tomorrow's mission and the like the conversation suddenly  
quieted when Andy had wistfully asked,"Wonder how Mym would have handled this  
whole thing..."   
  
As the defening silence lasted for a total of 3 minutes, though it seemed like  
eternity, Vincent finally spoke up.   
  
"She'd have handled it with the finesse, skill, and efficiency she handled them all  
with,"Vincent replied quietly, the other two nodding in agreement.   
  
"She was one hell of a Turk,"Vega agreed taking a sip from his drink after saying  
it,"It's a shame that..."   
  
He didn't continue, he didn't need to. The three of them knew well enough what  
had happened, or at least what they'd been told. She'd died from that bullet wound,  
something about poison on the bullet and it had raced through her system, killing her. Of  
course at first they'd doubted it but when they saw the casket they were more assured of  
her fate. The President and Hojo had said that due to the nature of the poison it had  
disfigured her terribly so they'd honor her passing with a closed casket ceremony. All  
three of the remaining Turks had donned black suits with a red rose for each. As the  
casket was lowered into the ground they each threw their rose onto the lid of it, Vincent  
going last as he was the one who now held her position. He also had been the one who  
knew her the best.   
  
The day after the funeral Vincent was formally bestowed the honor of leading the  
Turks. He refused though to wear the silver pin signifying it. Part of him wanted to believe  
that Mym was still alive and still incharge but his mind told him that was impossible and  
that, it hadn't worked, he should move on. But then his heart interjected that he'd never  
tried and that left Vincent in a state where he did the jobs but didn't even care enough to  
go get drunk anymore. He didn't pay attention to the excited mirth on ShinRa's face when  
Vincent had perfectly completed a mission. Andy and Vega had been the same way,  
nothing really mattered when it came to the jobs. They completed them but that was it.  
The next day, they set off for Nibelheim, a mission that would change many things.   
  
***************************End Flashback*********************************   
  
Vincent continued to stare at the large journal, the storm moving directly overhead  
as he realized suddenly that half the night was gone already. Shaking his head he willed to  
not remember what had happened next but it came anyway, a flood of painful memories  
that started on a turn for the worse once they'd set out for Nibelheim with Hojo and  
Ghast.   
  
********************************Flashback*******************************   
  
"Bring that equipment carefully and tell those Turks to stop lolling around,"Hojo  
ordered irritably and turned, walking into the ShinRa mansion. Vincent had overheard his  
tirade and sighed inwardly, this would be a long mission. A very long mission that would  
have a very bad course of events but Vincent didn't know that, none of them did except  
perhaps ShinRa himself and Hojo.   
  
Hojo tromped back out of the mansion, glaring at the soldiers and then rushing to  
go yell at them as they went to unload the last truck.   
  
"No,"he interjected quickly,"That doesn't get unpacked, I'm taking that up to the  
reactor myself tomorrow."   
  
Shrugging and walking off, their job finished for now, the soldiers went to the pub  
to relax and gorge themselves on alcohol. As Hojo wiped a few beads of sweat from his  
brow he whispered to himself,"That was close, those idiots almost found out about that  
Turk."   
  
Checking to make sure the crates with her and the equipment were secure and the  
truck locked tightly Hojo then went into the ShinRa mansion and began setting up for the  
Jenova Project.   



	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 11  
Flashback   
  
  
As the time passed slowly at the ShinRa mansion for the turks, soldiers and the  
scientists the Jenova Project went along well and Vincent and Lucrecia were getting quite  
close. They often went on walks and close to the time that the Project was halfway  
Vincent had proposed to her. Much to his dismay she refused to marry him and instead  
opted for Hojo. Accepting it as long as she was happy, Vincent seemed to fade into the  
background until he heard that the Jenova Project would be tested to it's fullest on  
Lucrecia and Hojo's child. It never occured to Vincent that he might have been the father  
seeing as the child could have been concieved during one of the times that he and Lucrecia  
had been together before she went to Hojo. Hojo meanwhile had been busy on his own.  
He had successfully kept the ex Turk leader Mym locked away in the reactor where he  
experimented on her continuously. No one else knew of her presence there, especially not  
the other Turks.   
  
Towards the end of the project though Lucrecia found herself regreting the  
decision to test this experiment with her child. She confided that to Vincent and one day  
when she was sitting cuddling with him he vowed to take her away for the safety of herself  
and the child since the experiment was killing her as the baby grew. Without even thinking  
of how he'd get she mentioned that Hojo would never let them go, that he'd chase them  
all over the face of the earth to which Vincent vowed to take care of Hojo. Despite  
Lucrecia's protests that Hojo might hurt him, Vincent went down to the lab that evening  
and confronted Hojo while Lucrecia slept upstairs fitfully.   
  
"What do you want?" Hojo asked irritably.   
  
"You will pay for what you've done to Lucrecia,"Vincent stated coldly as he  
glared at Hojo,"I'm taking her far away from here once I make it so you can never follow  
us."   
  
"Oh really?" Hojo sneered,"I don't think so. She'll die as soon as that child is born,  
a shame really. But it's all in the name of science."   
  
With that he grinned and Vincent's semi horrified semi enraged face fell into the  
deadly stoicness that marked his face when he completed jobs for the President. As he  
reached for his gun he noticed a movement from Hojo and before he could react, Hojo had  
a gun drawn from his lab coat and shot Vincent in the arm and then again in the chest.  
Falling down to his knees Vincent clutched his two wounds as best as he could and  
growled at Hojo.   
  
"You bastard....I'll see....you...pay... Andy... and Vega.. they'll..."   
  
As he finished he fell unconscious and Hojo hoisted him up onto the lab table.   
  
"They'll be passed out in the bar for another few hours so no, they won't be back  
to help you,"Hojo muttered gleefully to himself and the unconscious body as he chuckled  
picturing the two Turks passed out at the bar.   
  
Hurrying to make sure he lived throughout the procedure, Hojo altered Vincent  
and added the transformations as well as removing his left arm since it was useless from  
where the bullet had hit. After replacing it with a large golden claw and getting some more  
fitting clothes for the 'monster' Hojo stepped back to look over his handywork. There on  
the table, in black and draped with crimson was Vincent Valentine, former leader of the  
Turks. The golden claw glinted dangerously from the sharp pointed fingers and Hojo  
smiled, taking a step back toward Vincent as he pulled an eyelid up to reveal the now  
blood red eyes that had once been a gentle gray.   
  
With a satisfied smirk on his face Hojo injected Vincent with a sleeping tonic that  
would keep him asleep til someone woke him, no matter how long that took. Giving a  
grunt as he hoisted his body up Hojo took Vincent into one of the rooms adjacent to the  
lab and put him in a coffin, closing the lid on it and locking the door behind him.   
  
"No one will find that monster in there,"Hojo sneered as he walked upstairs to put  
the key in the old safe,"No one."   
  
With a chuckle after that he walked past Lucrecia's room and heard her moving  
inside. Giving no knock as a warning he opened the door and went in, trying to keep his  
face straight and somber.   
  
"Lucrecia,"he said as she looked up at him from her hurried packing,"I have some  
bad news. Vincent... you know how ruthless he was as a Turk, well.... dear, I'm afraid I  
just saw him with another woman... Riding out of town."   
  
Lucrecia's face fell almost instantly and she sunk to sit on the bed, unable to do  
anything other than stare at the floor from the shock.   
  
"But... he.."she started quietly,"He promised....we'd go..away..together...."   
  
As Hojo stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him he heard her  
murmur one more thing before she broke into tears and even through the closed door he  
heard the sobs loud and clear as if she were beside him. Giving a slight chuckle as he  
walked down the stairs he thought of just how ironic this was. Here he was on his way to  
go test things on the old Turk leader and he had just done things to the most recent Turk  
leader.   
  
"This is getting to be quite a good day,"Hojo remarked to himself as he exited the  
mansion and got in one of the trucks to head for the reactor.   



	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 12  
Mym   
  
Sitting in the orchard just looking at the blade Mym tried to block the memories  
from coming. She hated memories like these, the painful ones that threatened to break her  
stoic facade and make her emotions show. She looked up at the ShinRa mansion then back  
to the sword, the trees in the background a nice peaceful comfort. They sat in silence,  
never letting on what they heard and saw but that was the comfort in it all.   
  
"That night...." She whispered as the memories of the stormy night in the Nibel  
reactor when Hojo made her existance even more of a torture.   
  
"That night was similar to this evening. The storm even seems familiar,"She  
whispered a tinge of pain hidden in her voice.   
  
*********************************Flashback****************************   
  
She sat in the windowless room that was her cell and kept pondering a way to  
escape. When none came to mind she sighed and lay back on the 'bed.' It consisted of a  
few crates pushed together with a blanket and a pillow.   
  
"Not exactly the most comfortable thing but ah well,"she thought to herself,"It's  
one of the few things I can call my own."   
  
As she lay there she listened to the rain pound on the metal roof of the reactor and  
the thunder rumble outside. The storm outside seemed to make it easier to concentrate but  
not enough for her to formulate an escape plan. In the middle of her thoughts though she  
heard the metal door of the reactor scrape shut and the familiar footsteps of Hojo's shoes  
on the iron grating.   
  
Inwardly she sighed as she sat up and prepared herself mentally for the next  
barrage of tests that she knew would fly her way. As she heard the lock click and saw the  
door open she noted that for once Hojo looked overly happy.   
  
"He must have some new sick plan for me,"she thought to herself,"That would  
explain the smile."   
  
"Well, well, well,"he said as he stepped in, his normal hunched over walking  
position familiar to Mym as she rolled her eyes.   
  
"Skip the formalities and get it over with so I can get away from you sooner,"she  
said quietly, her voice full of loathing and hate for the scraggly scientist.   
  
"You wound me with your hatred,"he said sarcastically as his smirk grew even  
wider.   
  
"But I'm afraid even you cannot upset the night I've had so far,"he  
continued,"You see, the one obstacle that might have stopped my glorious Jenova Project  
has been removed."   
  
"What are you talking about?" She asked him without conveying the slight worry  
that she had at this point.   
  
"Simple,"he said,"Lucrecia might have backed out of the Project if I hadn't gotten  
rid of Mr. Valentine tonight. Now he can't fill her head with nonsensical things anymore  
and she will be completely devoted to the Project and me."   
  
"WHAT!?"She screamed as she quickly got to her feet, ready to lunge at him and  
tear him limb from limb.   
  
"Oh, don't worry. He should live, well if the severe sedatives I gave him don't kill  
him in the state he's in now,"Hojo said as he leered at her, as if taunting her to make a  
move against him.   
  
"What did you do to him?" Her voice was full of unbridled hate and anger at this  
point and somehow she managed to, with restraint question him without shouting or  
screaming.   
  
"He confronted me, I shot him, and then, well he would have died if I wouldn't  
have altered him,"Hojo explained.   
  
"I also gave him his own versions of the transformations I gave you,"Hojo finished  
as he pushed his glasses up his nose,"They should help keep him alive throughout his  
sleep."   
  
"Damn you Hojo,"she half said, half growled at him.   
  
"You weren't just satisfied with experimenting on me but you use your own wife  
and child, and now Vincent. You're a monster,"she stated.   
  
"Well now,"he said as he grabbed a clipboard from the wall,"That's enough of  
that. How about we start on the next series of tests I have planned."   
  
As he stepped towards her the memory faded to black and Mym looked at the  
night sky as the rain slowly began to fall.   
  
"30 years in that hell,"she muttered softly,"Am I even still anything like the person  
I used to be?"   
  
As if to exhibit the pain she felt at the memories and at the questioning of herself  
the rain fell harder. Resheathing her sword she moved to go under a little awning beside  
the orchard and she sat there, simply watching the storm.   
  
"Am I a monster?" She quietly asked herself,"Or was I already one to begin with  
just now I can look like what I really am. . ."   
  
Her voice trailed off as she looked up at the lightning flashing in the sky above the  
ShinRa mansion. It was then that she noticed Vincent gone from the roof. After giving a  
quick look over the exterior of the building from where she sat she noticed that there was  
a light on in the basement.   
  
"He's down there,"she thought to herself,"He's finding out what happened to  
him."   
  
Sighing, she stood and shook her head.   
  
"I should go talk to him,"she said quietly then paused for a moment,"But I'll give  
him a little more time to himself. That must be horribly hard for someone to just suddenly  
find out like that.   
  
The more she thought about it though she rationalized that it wouldn't be best to  
speak to him tonight. She found that she couldn't face him now, especially after all that  
had happened to them both.   
  
"Later,"she mentally swore to herself,"Later I'll go talk to him and try and help  
him deal. I just. . . I can't take talking to him now."   
  
As the night droned on the rain feel more steadily and she just remained sitting  
there under the awning. Her thoughts drifted from memories of Hojo and her time in the  
lab to memories of herself and the other Turks at the bars when they'd go after missions  
sometimes.   



	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 13  
  
As the night began to blend to day and the team woke up they soon noted that a  
storm had come up over night and had passed. The wet grass had told them this, the two  
empty beds though told them that Vincent and Mym though were nowhere to be found.  
  
"Oh no..."Aeris murmered almost to herself although Tifa overheard her.  
  
"Oh no what?" Tifa inquired, tilting her head and looking up from lacing her boots.  
  
"I hope Mym didn't leave to go after Hojo,"Aeris answered, her green eyes  
revealing how upset she was,"I hope she and Vincent didn't go after Hojo..."   
  
Her voice trailed off and she looked at her hands. It wasn't until Cloud's annoyed  
sigh and shoes clicking made her look up. There stood Vincent and Mym, Cloud  
confronting them about where they'd disappeared to. Aeris got up and walked over,  
almost tripping on the carpet as she hadn't really looked to see the bump in it. Catching  
herself as she stumbled Aeris continued on her way over to them.   
  
"You didn't leave!"   
  
Aeris's voice sounded glad and her eyes were shining. Mym looked down at her  
as she was a bit taller than Aeris.  
  
"I gave my word didn't I?" Mym queried as she set her sword down on the bed  
nearest to her. She then turned and looked at Cloud and Vincent as they stood face to  
face, about 2 feet between them. Walking to stand beside Vincent again she looked at  
Cloud.   
  
"So when do we leave?"  
  
"We were supposed to leave half an hour ago,"Cloud stated simply, trying not to  
let annoyance slip into his voice. He didn't do quite such a good job as he continued  
though.   
  
"But some of us slept in and we couldn't find you two."  
  
At the mention of sleeping in Barret grumbled something and tromped off to get  
his pack. Mym however nodded her head.  
  
"I see, accept my apologies for not being here this morning."   
  
As she finished that she turned on her heel, grabbed her sword and went off to  
gather her pack, guns and clothes. As she threw the things in the pack Aeris came up to  
her and quietly placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Are you allright?"   
  
A nod was all she received in return as the older woman laced the pack shut and  
threw it on her back, holstering her gun that lay on the bed and grabbing her sword. As  
she went to leave Aeris pulled her hand away and just watched Mym leave the room. In  
her mind and heart she knew Mym wasn't allright but still, to press it would have only  
made things worse so Aeris vowed to herself to at a better time, try to help comfort Mym.   
Quickly grabbing her own pack and staff Aeris went to join Mym in the hall.  
  
Meanwhile out in the hall as Mym stood waiting for the others to gather their  
travelling gear and posessions and weapons she saw Vincent emerge from the men's room  
and quietly walk over to her. The silence in the hall was defeaning barely broken by his  
voice, quiet, as he spoke up.  
  
"How long?"  
  
Knowing he meant how long Hojo had tortured her and kept himself asleep she  
answered, her own voice nearly as quiet as his,"About 30 years."  
  
He nodded and seemed to pull back into himself as he mulled over this new point.   
After another few seconds Aeris strode over to them and gave them both a quick glance  
and a warm smile to try and lessen the tension in the air. It was then that Aeris realized  
the only supplies Vincent carried were his gun and the clothes on his back.  
  
"Oh Vincent..."she began,"You don't have a bedroll or anything. We'll have to  
stop and get you something before we leave town."  
  
"That is quite unnecessary, I am not in the least tired and thesupplies would be of  
very little use to me,"He stated but before he could finish the word quite, Aeris had run off  
in search of Cloud to inform him of this oversight and the need to remedy it. With a quiet  
resigned sigh Vincent shook his head slightly at the girl who had run off.   
  
"She's just being herself, friendly and outgoing,"Mym explained quietly, her eyes  
closed as she leaned against the wall with her arms folded.  
  
"I see,"Vincent replied, as he watched Aeris come back over to them, her face lit  
up with a bright smile.  
  
"Cloud said we'd stop on the way out, he's ready to leave now by the way,"she  
said cheerfully. As she said that they watched as Cloud and the other members of the  
group left their rooms and made their way downstairs to the main lobby of the inn.   
Without so much as another word the three of them followed and met up with the others  
as Cloud paid for the rooms and chatted quietly with the innkeeper.   
  
"Yes the rooms were acceptable," Cloud replied to answer the man's question.  
  
"Oh that's good, I'm glad you found them acceptable. I might suggest though son  
that you stop by the shoppes on the way out just to make sure you're stocked up on things  
if you intend to go over the mountains,"the man chattered on.  
  
"Yes,"Cloud said quietly as he grabbed his pack again,"We plan on doing that."  
  
After the exchange of goodbyes and 'have a nice trip, come by again' the group  
headed off. Upon reaching one of the shoppes Aeris and Mym pooled their money to get  
him a change of clothes and boots for the road and a backpack as well as some  
ammunition. Cloud picked up some climbing gear also just incase they needed it on the  
mountains and then they were off.   
  
Cloud and Tifa felt better as soon as they'd left Nibelheim and it was visable on  
their faces though their eyes still held haunted images of the Nibelheim they watched burn  
and images of this Nibelheim that was twisted somehow by Shin-Ra. Vincent felt better  
also at leaving Nibelheim and the site of the Jenova Project. Only Mym seemed slightly on  
edge as they left, heading through the mountains toward the reactor. None of the others  
could really understand why as she'd told them nothing of her captivity there during the  
Jenova Project though Aeris could make a guess at it at least having to do with the reactor  
incident that caused Mym's life as she knew it to end.   
  
After about an hour of walking and having crossed the old rope bridge that had  
collapsed before but was now there again, the reactor came into view. Mym immediately  
stiffened as she saw it, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. Aeris and Vincent  
noticed this as well as Barret who simply muttered something about weirdoes and moved  
off to the front of the party. Aeris and Vincent each gave him a look but then their  
attention went back to Mym who was still stopped and just staring at the reactor.   
  
"Mym?"Aeris asked, reaching out to place a hand on her arm until Vincent  
stopped her.   
  
"Don't...." he warned, he knew what might happen and this girl didn't understand  
that Mym might become extremely volatile at any moment.  
  
It was then that it happened and her hands unclenched, her body returning to it's  
normal stance and her face grew to be as emotionless as it had been on missions in the  
past. Vincent noted this and motioned for Aeris to step away. Vincent could guess that  
something rather unpleasant was going to happen because even when they were Turks he  
had never seen this kind of detached involvement in her. Emotionally she was involved  
with the reactor as it played a part in the nightmare of her life but now she seemed so  
withdrawn from it that he feared the consequences. They all watched as Mym, with  
steady, purposeful steps, went down to the reactor and inside without so much as another  
word. Cloud shouted for her to stop as she got to the door but it did no good so he  
ordered them all to hurry down and follow her.   
  
Inside the reactor she made her way quickly to where her cell had been. The area  
was old and unused, cobwebs were all over and there was a thick layer of dust on  
everything. In the darkness she had no trouble seeing, thanks to the alterations Hojo had  
done.   
  
"How ironic,"she thought,"He gave me these powers and now I'll use them  
against him. Very much the monster turning on it's would be master."  
  
She smirked at the thought as she moved to the desk that had first been covered by  
papers but now also had inches of dust on it. Under the dust she could see the shapes of  
books and pens scattered haphazardly, yellowed papers sticking out over the edges of the  
wood. Mym moved over to the desk's chair, the leather falling to almost nothing and  
pushed it away. With a careless sweep of her hand she dusted some of the books and  
papers off and among them she found one of Hojo's journals and the records of some of  
the things he'd done to her. Taking them and putting them in her pack she scanned the  
desk for anything else useful but found little, then she focused on the drawers and came up  
with little save old clipboards, a few old needles and another journal. She took this also  
and then moved on through the rest of the rundown area til she passed the old testing  
equipment and came upon her old cell.   
  
Hesitantly she stepped inside it, her eyes narrowing in a deep hatred immediately as  
she felt the old air settle around her again. It even felt like the same air that had been their  
the 30 years prior. She moved over to the crates with the old tarp on them. They once  
had been sturdy enough for her to sleep and sit on, now they looked as if they'd crumble  
even if a small child touched them. It was as she reached a hand out towards them that  
she heard the reactor door creak and scratch open and she fell to her knees again, the  
memories of that night flooding back again.  



	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 14  
  
Cloud and the others entered the reactor, cringing slightly at the sound of the metal  
door scraping. Aeris peered into the darkness, moving past Cloud as she called  
out,"Mym?"   
  
After receiving no response Cloud sighed tiredly and started to speak,"Tifa, you  
and Barret come with me, Vincent Aeris and Red, you three are a team as well. You three  
go look for Mym and we'll check the reactor for anything else."  
  
Aeris nodded and Cloud and his team moved off to go exploring. Aeris then  
turned to Red.   
  
"Can you pick up her trail in here Red?" She asked quietly, trying to make it seem  
like less of a degrading act for him.  
  
After taking a sniff he nodded in the affirmative and they were off. They carefully  
walked across the grating and the metal soles of Vincent's shoes clicked rather noisilly.   
Eventually they came across the rooms Hojo had used so long ago and the desk. Vincent  
and Red looked over the things and Red opted to stay behind and try and read some of the  
papers as Vincent and Aeris would be the best ones to go talk to her and he knew she was  
nearby. As they moved over towards the room that had once been her cell they saw the  
table in there with the upturned tray of various medical tools near it, all covered with dry  
blood that was slowly flaking away with age. Vincent clenched his fist and they kept  
moving, Aeris looking away from the sight so as not to be upset. Finally they came upon  
the room where Mym was, kneeling on the floor, head in her hands.   
  
"Mym?" Aeris called out softly, trying to bring the older woman out of her 'shell.'  
  
"Hm?" Came the soft quiet reply and she turned slightly, spotting them for the first  
time.  
  
As her eyes fell on both of them she let out a quiet shriek and turned quickly,  
sitting on the ground.  
  
"No.. no....." She murmured quietly and inched back a bit.  
  
"What's wrong?" Aeris asked as she took a small step forward, her hand reaching  
out towards Mym.  
  
"No.... Ifalna.... Vincent...." Her voice trailed off to a whisper for a second and as  
she took another step back her voice grew to a loud scream of anger and irritation.  
  
"Damn you Hojo for haunting my cursed life with those I couldn't protect!"   
  
As she moved backwards suddenly she crashed into the crates and they smashed to  
small chips and dust upon impact. Small trickles of blood slid down her arms from where  
the splinters cut her and she paused for a second, ignoring the pain. After a silent  
moment, in which time Red XIII had come to the door to see what was wrong, with a  
wild shriek Mym launched herself out past them all and towards the main room of the  
reactor. The three of them followed, Vincent heading first and watched as she launched  
herself onto the spanse of bridge between the entrance and the chamber which had held  
Jenova. In the middle of the bridge she had stopped, Cloud and his party to one side,  
Vincent and the others to the other.   
  
"No..." she murmured, holding her head and kneeling on the bridge.   
  
"Damn you Hojo... You cursed me to fail them....."  
  
As Cloud went to take a step towards her to try and see what was bothering her  
she slammed a fist off the bridge causing it to groan and shudder. Cloud took a step back  
and Aeris let out a gasp.  
  
"Dammit Hojo,"she cursed again as she slammed her fist down again. Again the  
bridge responded with a groan and a shudder only larger this time. It was at this point that  
Cloud and the others decided to make a run for it seeing as the more Mym pounded on the  
bridge the greater the chances of it falling and them becoming stuck on the other side.   
With a determined look the three of them dashed across and past Mym who shrank back  
against the railing with a quiet cry of alarm. When they got to the other side they turned  
and looked back at her, clinging to the railing and, now, looking down at the mako pool  
beneath it. Vincent quietly edged over to her on the now less than steady bridge as she  
stared at the mako pool.  
  
"Mym," he quietly uttered as he neared her side.  
  
Swiftly her head turned and her eyes locked on to him.  
  
"Vincent.....?" As she half asked half stated his identity he saw a flicker of  
recognition and her old self in her eyes.  
  
He merely nodded in response and as she collapsed to the ground again she  
murmured,"I'm sorry. I'm myself again. Just so many damned memories."  
  
After a moment of silence a groan broke through the quiet and the bridge  
shuddered again. As the shudder went on Mym looked up and Vincent slowly edged back  
towards the platform where everyone waited.  
  
"The bridge is going to collapse Mym. Take my hand,"he said as he held his hand  
out towards her. Slowly she got to her feet and moved towards him, the bridge  
shuddering more and more with each step they took. As Vincent neared the platform the  
bridge gave one final shudder and suddenly lurched downwards. As it did Mym dove at  
Vincent knocking him back onto the platform and leaving herself hanging barely off the  
edge of the platform as the bridge spashed into the mako. Hanging there, she heard feet  
moving over towards her and saw Vincent and Cloud there to help pull her up, Aeris  
hanging in the background, chewing on her lower lip. With their help Mym got up onto  
the platform and sat there for a moment, lost in thought until Vincent spoke up.  
  
"Are you allright?"   
  
She nodded once and stood and walked through the group, keeping her face  
hidden from them all as she said,"Well we better get going."   
  
With that she walked out of the reactor, leaving the entire party in shock. It was  
silent until Barret mumbled,"Freaky ass ex ShinRa people. Be better off without you  
weirdoes."  
  
Vincent and the others all heard this earning Barret reprimanding glares from  
Cloud and a few others as Vincent merely brushed past the man following Mym out.   
After a minute the whole group left the reactor, Barret going last. Once they were outside  
they stopped where Mym and Vincent were standing and Aeris spoke up.  
  
"So Cloud... What did you find?"  
  
"Nothing,"he replied, with a slight shrug,"Jenova wasn't there but we all know it  
was last in Midgar. We should keep pressing on to the next town. I think it's called  
Rocket Town but I could be mistaken."  
  
"Right," Red XIII agreed and so the party set off again, down towards the passage  
that would take them out of the Nibel Mountains and to the next town along the way. As  
they neared the passage they saw something large blocking the way. Stopping just out of  
it's range of sight they observed it for a minute before Tifa stated with a quiet tone as she  
readied her gloves,"It's a monster."  



	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: This disclaimer applies for all the chapters in this story. I don't own  
any of the characters except Mym Teneshi.   
  
Part 15  
  
"We'll have to kill it to get to the passage,"Cloud explained,"I doubt it'll just let us  
go past it. Everyone ready yourselves."  
  
After a moment or two of preparations they were all ready to head off to do battle.   
Vincent had his gun drawn and some materia Mym had given him equipped, Mym herself  
had her sword ready and materia of her own. Aeris had began concentrating on protective  
spells while the others readied weapons and offensive materia linked to do the most  
damage. They came from behind the rocks and launched into battle immediately with the  
thing to continue their journey.   
  
The guardian monster had two heads which each launched vicious attacks, striking  
at the party. Quickly they jumped out of the way to avoid getting killed. Mym quickly ran  
up and slashed at the head on the left while Vincent shot at the right one to distract it.   
Landing a vicious strike on it's neck the monster flailed around with a wild scream as  
Mym landed on the ground and readied for another attack as Barret took up Vincent's   
position while Vincent reloaded. Cloud ran in for an attack on the left head while Aeris  
cast a barrier spell around the party. Tifa and Red on the other hand both concentrated on  
casting powerful fire spells on the right head and after a few minutes of the constant  
barrage of hits the monster was considerably weaker.   
  
Jumping back from taking another slice at it Cloud watched Mym rush in for a  
killing strike on the left head while Vincent and Barret both fired on the right head. As  
Mym slashed downward on the thing's left neck the party watched as the monster gave a  
cry of anguish and the left head fell useless to the ground as Mym landed crouched before  
it. Before even she could recover thought the still alive right head came down with it's  
slavering jaws open in an attempt to eat her alive. Aeris and most of the others could only  
watch in horror as the thing made it's attempt to attack her but before it did it was  
stopped midway by a large beast summoning a large fireball. Cloud and the others  
watched in amazement and horror but Mym only dropped her head some as she knew  
what had happened. With a shriek the monster turned it's final attention to the Galian  
Beast only to find it's own neck within the beast's teeth. Giving one last gargled cry of  
pain the right neck drooped and fell to the ground, the beast letting go to land facing the  
rest of the party. Cloud looked at the beast sitting there and watched with wide eyes as it  
changed back into Vincent. The whole party took a step back from him except Mym who  
knelt on the ground a few feet from him.   
  
On his hands and knees Vincent panted as the final pains from the transformation  
went away. Mym quickly sheathed her sword and walked over to him, kneeling beside  
him and putting an arm on his back.   
  
"Are you allright?" She asked quietly as the others looked on, unable to decide  
what to do given the circumstances.  
  
Vincent's ruby eyes went up and met hers almost immediately and he swiftly but  
curtly nodded. Before he could say anything though she quietly spoke up again.  
  
"Thanks for the help back there."  
  
"No problem,"he replied in a similar quiet manner.  
  
"What the hell just happened?" Cloud interjected as he stepped forward a couple  
paces after having sheathed his sword.  
  
Both Mym and Vincent turned their heads to look at him and saw the rest of the  
party coming up behind him. They both also heard Barret mumble again about 'Freaky ass  
ex-ShinRa people' which made neither of them happy. Both Mym and Vincent stood,  
slowly and purposefully.   
  
"This is what we are capable of as I explained to Aeris one night,"Mym stated  
quietly, her eyes a dim glowing purple to match her cold and distant tone.  
  
"This is Hojo's doing,"Vincent added quietly, his tone still distant but not nearly as  
frigid as Mym's.   
  
"Well your dangerous ass selves shouldn't be travelin with us no more,"Barret  
added quickly as he stepped up closer to be beside Cloud. He then turned to Cloud.   
  
"They could turn on us and shit,"Barret explained, waving his hand and gun arm  
around to emphasize his words. Tifa and Red hung in the background as Aeris moved up.  
  
"Do what you will Cloud,"Mym said and Vincent nodded in agreement.   
  
"As team leader you are responsible for your comrades and if you deem us a threat  
we will leave and seek our own way,"she finished.  
  
At this point Aeris tapped Cloud on the shoulder and said,"I don't think they'd  
harm us Cloud. Mym did explain some of this to me and it's not their fault. It's Hojo's  
fault that they can change forms. Please let them stay with us."  
  
Cloud looked back and forth between Mym and Vincent's slightly glowing eyes  
and Aeris's pleading ones until he finally sighed and rubbed the back of his head.  
  
"Allright. For now they can stay with us but if you guys turn on us you'll have to  
go on your own."  
  
Mym and Vincent nodded in agreement while Barret threw his hands up in the air.   
Grumbling he stepped back to where his pack was and fiddled around with it for a  
moment before he threw it on his back and began stalking off towards the path the  
monster had blocked. The others slowly followed after him, Vincent, Mym, and Aeris  
bringing up the rear.   



End file.
